1. What is the purpose of CPT
delegations?

As part of CPT's ongoing experiment in faith-based, active
peacemaking, delegation members provide encouragement for
individuals and communities experiencing violence, challenge
violations of human rights, and promote active nonviolence as
a means of settling disputes.

Delegation participants seek to:

gain a sound understanding of the situation through
visits and discussions with grassroots leaders, community
members, church and human rights workers, legislators and
officials;

support movement towards nonviolent change through
listening, dialogue and public actions (as appropriate);

reduce violence by providing an international presence
in affected communities/areas;

identify ways in which CPT or churches/organizations
with whom participants are affiliated may support the work
of nonviolence.

Delegation members are expected to participate fully in the
activities of the delegation including daily worship and
reflection times, assist with a variety of leadership roles
within the team, give a voice to the concerns expressed by
local people, and report back to churches and/or community
groups upon return.

Participation in a CPT delegation also serves as the first
step for individuals who would like to pursue the process
of becoming a member of the Christian Peacemaker Corps. A
delegation experience allows both the prospective Corps
member and CPT to test whether there is a mutual "fit", and
it provides context for reflection during training.

2. What will we be doing?

The delegation is both education- and action-oriented. You
will attend a number of meetings with human rights workers
and others impacted by the violence to get perspective on
the current situation. If CPT has a long-term team in the
area (e.g. Palestine, Colombia) part of the time will be
spent with them, and you may have an opportunity to join in
the teamâ€™s accompaniment work. In most cases you will
plan and carry out a nonviolent action. For more details,
look at past delegation
reports.

3. Who joins CPT delegations?

Carpenters, farmers, college students, health care
professionals, community organizers, religious sisters and
brothers, college professors, seminarians, pastors,
teachers, peace activists, church members, and people from
many other walks of life. The minimum age is 18, and no
upper age limit exists â€“ we have included individuals
into their 80s. Because of certain physical rigors in most
project locations and intense schedules, you have to have
good health and stamina. You donâ€™t have to be
Christian to join a delegation.

4. How risky is a CPT delegation?

CPTâ€™s mission is to go into places of conflict around
the world. Most of CPTâ€™s delegations are to places
where an active conflict is taking place, as in the Middle
East and Colombia. The U.S. State department warns
travelers away from these areas. Therefore, we want you to
take the risks seriously, and you are asked to sign a
statement of responsibility. In part this reads:

"I am aware that I am entering a situation that may be
tense at the present time and that there may be danger of
war or other violent conflict occurring while I am there.
... I understand that I could be imprisoned, taken
hostage, injured or even killed. I understand that in
cases of hostage-taking or kidnapping it is CPTâ€™s
policy not to pay ransom and to reject military or
violent approaches to resolving the matter. I also
understand that access to health care facilities,
adequate shelter and food may be difficult on occasion.
... I assume and accept full responsibility for any risks
of personal injury, illness, damage, imprisonment or
other deprivation that may occur as a result of my
participation in this program including, but not limited
to, the risks described above."

In CPTâ€™s history we have had a delegation in Iraq
kidnapped, and one long-term CPTer who was with the
delegation was subsequently killed. We have had members of
CPT in Palestine beaten by settlers. Delegates have been
hit by stones or spit at. While we have not had delegation
members in Palestine or Colombia seriously injured, no one
can predict the future. Conditions change on the ground and
we listen to the counsel of our on-the-ground teams. If our
long term team advises that the security situation has
deteriorated to such an extent that it would be unwise to
send a delegation, we would cancel the delegation. More
common, however, is that the delegation would take place
but the itinerary would be adjusted to safely accommodate
the changing situation

5. Does a CPT delegation require special
training?

No, we do not require special training before you
participate in a delegation. Delegates are briefed by the
leader or long-term team members on security concerns
before going into tense situations (e.g. the countryside in
Colombia, school patrol in Hebron, a nonviolent action).
CPTâ€™s month-long training is specifically for those
who have applied to join the Christian Peacemaker Corps as
full-time or part-time (Reserve) members. A delegation is
the first step in joining the Peacemaker
Corps; training is the next step. Corps members commit
to a 3-year term of service.

6. Does the delegation meet beforehand and travel
together?

No. We usually arrange tickets from the departure point
that is most convenient for you. Our announcements for
international delegations say that travel from a designated
North American city is included in the amount you are asked
to raise. Chicago and Toronto are often the
â€śdesignated citiesâ€ť on which we base those
costs. If your departure city requires a connecting flight
above the range of our â€śdesignated cityâ€ť we
will ask you for extra funds to cover the connecting
flight. Usually delegates are on several different flights
that arrive in the destination city within a few hours of
one another, and you meet up with the rest of the
delegation in the airport (e.g. in BogotĂˇ or Tel
Aviv.) If you are coming from countries other than Canada
or the U.S., you will make and pay for your own flight
arrangements, and we deduct the round-trip airfare from the
amount we ask you to raise. For delegations that travel to
projects and locations within the U.S. or Canada, you are
usually asked to make your own travel arrangements.

7. What kind of qualifications do I need to join a
delegation?

There is no specific checklist of credentials that we use
to screen applicants. A personâ€™s strength of
commitment is considered as much as experience. In
addition, we look for interest and/or experience in:

cross-cultural work and human rights

commitment to and/or experience with nonviolent action

commitment to undoing racism

and willingness to engage in public witness and team
worship.

Usually a delegation includes people with range of
experiences, from college students to persons with decades
of experience in nonviolent action. As a delegate, you
should begin making plans to share about the trip upon
return to your home community and congregation. Minimum age
is 18; there is no upper age limit. Usually, some physical
rigors are involved as well as a very full agenda, so
general good health and a certain level of physical stamina
are required.

8. Do I have to be a Christian to join a CPT
delegation?

Christians and non-Christians join CPT delegations. Worship/reflection
times will normally be part of a delegationâ€™s routine and are led by delegation
members that are willing to take this role. These times can vary from
structured liturgies with scripture readings, songs, etc., to reflection on
readings from many sources either sacred or secular, to silent meditation. Delegates
should be aware that some team members will choose to lead a worship that is outside
their own tradition. CPT encourages delegates to be open to receiving the gifts
of every member of the team! Those who take the next step in CPT involvement
and join the Peacemaker Corps include those who identify as Christian as well
as associate members who adhere to other faiths/spiritualities.

9. What is nonviolent direct action and what role
does this play in a CPT delegation?

This term covers a range of symbolic public witness events
that may include prayer vigils, street theater, processions
or other kind s of "demonstrations." In the West Bank, CPT
delegations have planted olive trees, harvested wheat and
removed roadblocks. In the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands, they
have painted crosses on the border wall and participated in
a 6-day walk along a major migrant route. All of these are
nonviolent public witnesses or actions that challenge
violence or structural injustice. Sometimes participants in
nonviolent actions plan to engage in acts of civil
disobedience (purposefully breaking the law to intensify
the witness.) Most CPT delegations do not plan civil
disobedience actions â€“ although some may include this
option. Almost all actions contain some risk of
confrontation. Prior to an action, delegation members talk
together and with the local team about risks involved and
choosing their roles. Almost all CPT delegations plan some
kind of nonviolent action; however sometimes it is not
possible to fit one in, or a planned event may not be
carried out if, in consultation with local partners, it
seems that an action would be more harmful than helpful to
the local community.

10. Why do you ask for a media support person on the
delegation application, and what does that person
do?

We ask delegation members to list a "media support person"
on their applications because spreading the word about what
you see and hear on the trip is a very important part of
peacemaking. We want you to take media work seriously and
we give you some ideas on how to do this with orientation
materials. The media support person can help you make
appointments with media or set up presentations both before
and after the trip. That person will also be on the list to
receive any e-mail articles that come from the delegation
during the course of the trip. She or he can then forward
the articles to local media, ideally adding a line or two
that draws attention to the fact you are participating.
Itâ€™s helpful if you have also given your media
support person biographical information and perhaps photos
that can be sent to media. Although many delegates take on
the task of setting up their own interviews and
presentations, it is really helpful to have someone else
who can be the media contact while you are away.
Occasionally, when big news happens, the media support
person can be very important in fielding media calls. The
media support person does not need to be a journalist or
media professional, just someone who is a bit resourceful,
committed to dedicating some energy to the task, and
willing to send a news release to a few of your local media
outlets.

11. Why do you ask for a congregational contact,
and what does that person do?

We do not require that you be a member of a particular
church or religious community. However, since CPT works
through various church connections to get the word out
about what we do â€“ including the connections that
delegation members provide â€“ it is helpful for us to
know when you are part of a congregation. Itâ€™s also a
piece of information, like your summary of experience, that
helps us to know you better. Your congregational contact
will be on an e-mail list to get articles during the course
of the delegation, and ideally she or he can then pass
along news to other interested members of the group. In the
case of major news, someone from the CPT office will
communicate with your contact by phone, and then he or she
can inform others in the congregation or group of need for
prayers, etc. If you donâ€™t belong to a church or
other faith community, you may list a contact for another
group in your home community that you are a part of (local
peace group, etc.).

12. How do I raise funds for a CPT
delegation?

CPT depends on the contributions of many supporters to
carry out our common peacemaking ministry. Each person who
joins a delegation is part of extending that circle of
support, so we encourage delegates to try to raise funds
from supporters to cover the cost of their participation.
People are often happy to contribute toward your
participation in the delegation when they know they
arenâ€™t in a position to go themselves, yet they
believe in the cause. Donations are tax-deductible in the
U.S. and Canada.
CPT has a limited amount of financial assistance available
to include participants of diverse backgrounds in our
delegations. Preference is given to individuals whose
communities also lack financial resources to support them
in this work. Contact CPT for details.

Here are some ideas for fundraising:

Home Congregations: Individuals have received
significant financial aid from their home congregations.
CPT participants have helped interpret their experiences
upon return to their home congregations and have served
as resource people. Prior to their participation with
CPT, theyâ€™ve kept churches updated and have spoken
to the congregation about their plans. Participants have
had their CPT ministry added to the church budget, have
received financial help from individual members, or have
taken up an offering for the peacemaking work.

Fund-raising Letters: Nearly everyone who has
worked with CPT has sent fund-raising letters out to
family and friends requesting prayer and financial
support. This strengthens the CPTerâ€™s emotional and
prayer support.

Fund-raising Concerts: One CPTer discovered that
a couple local musicians were interested in donating
their musical abilities and time to help raise funds. She
planned a coffeehouse with them, providing donated
drinks, coffee, and cookies. After the musicians sang,
she presented a slide show and told about her work in
Hebron. She raised around $750 in this event. Another two
CPTers got in touch with a singing group that was willing
to donate their time. Again, after the group sang, the
CPTers talked about their work in Haiti. They raised
about $1000. These events can be publicized through
contacting local churches and asking them to put
information in their bulletins, as well as through
distributing fliers, contacting local media, etc.

Matching Funds: Families have offered "family
matching funds" where they agree to match every dollar
that comes in for their relative's support. One CPTer's
family owns a small business which sent out fund-raising
letters with their business catalogs. For every dollar
that comes in, the business matches it up to $10,000.

Fund-raising Sales: Bake sales have worked well.
Another CPT member makes pottery. He produced and sold
"peace pottery" for $50. Each piece included a slip of
paper that said what the "peace bowl" or "peace cup"
symbolized.

Fund-raising Walks: One participant organized a
peace walk. He mapped out a three-mile course at a local
park, made a sponsor sheet on his computer, then asked
people to either walk with or sponsor him. He made over
$1000, and suspects that more could be made with further
promotion.

Fund-raising Dinners: Put on a fund-raising meal
featuring food typical of the area you're traveling to. You may include a short presentation about
the situation that CPT is addressing there. Invite a CPTer
or former delegation participant to speak at your event.

Pledges of Support: Some people wish to support
a CPTer's work but they don't have the funds immediately
available, so they commit to pay a certain amount on the
CPTer's return.

Denominational Funds: Certain church
denominations, district or conference level committees or
special programs offer funds for volunteers doing peace
work. Check with your local congregation about these
possibilities.

13. What happens if I have to withdraw from the
delegation, or if CPT cancels a delegation?

Various situations may arise that lead a delegation member to withdraw from a delegation before it takes off. On the other hand, CPT may cancel a delegation because lack of applicants or due to security or other concerns regarding the situation on the ground. The points below cover CPTâ€™s practices regarding fundraising expectations and allocation of raised funds. It is generally CPTâ€™s preference to encourage the applicant to consider a later delegation and to use the funds raised to support a later delegation.

a. Processing and cancellation fees. When the delegate withdraws less than three months before the delegation, $50 of the raised funds will be allocated to program overhead costs and are not available for re-allocation for a later delegation. If tickets have already been purchased the applicant is expected to raise funds to cover the cost of the ticket or the ticket cancellation fee (as determined by the airline) and these funds are not available for re-allocation. If CPT cancels the delegation, all the funds will be available for re-allocation.

b. Delegatesâ€™ own donations. In the event that the applicant has contributed his or her own funds in support of the delegation costs and is not able to join a later delegation, he or she should consult with CPT staff about the allocation of raised funds. Unless otherwise specified, the funds will be considered undesignated CPT program funds.

c. Donations from supporters. When a delegate raises funds among supporters, it is the delegateâ€™s responsibility to inform donors that he or she has cancelled out of the delegation or that the delegation has been cancelled by CPT, and that the funds will either be applied to a support future delegation or go to support CPTâ€™s general program (as the applicant specifies.)

d. If the delegation has already entered the country and delegate(s) are expelled during the course of the delegation, or if for any other reason the delegation experience is cut short (illness, unsuitability of the delegate, etc.), no funds will be reallocated. An exception will be made if the delegation leader has determined that the delegate is unsuitable within the first two days of the delegation. In this case, half of the funds for on-ground expenses will be available for reallocation. The delegate should consult with CPT staff on this point. CPT (in the person of the on-ground delegation leader, preferably in consultation with the CPT Delegations Coordinator or other CPT Support Team members), reserves the right to determine the suitability of the delegate for delegation activities at any time during the course of the delegation.

e. Funds raised in excess of the suggested goal will either be applied to a future delegation or go to support CPTâ€™s general program (as the applicant specifies). No return of excess funds will be made to the delegate or any other donors.